Christmas Cheer Around the World

How do people in other countries celebrate Christmas? Discuss and share these customs and activities with your students.

The Netherlands

Dutch children are given presents on 5 December, which is known as Sinterklaas Eve (St Nicholas Eve). According to legend, the presents are brought by St Nicholas, who arrives on a boat from Spain and, riding on a white horse, visits each child’s house. His servant, Swarte Piet (‘Black Pete’) accompanies him.Children often leave out their shoes for St Nicholas to fill with presents.

On Christmas Day, Dutch families share a special meal with each other and sometimes presents are exchanged. The day after Christmas is seen as a second Christmas Day and is usually spent visiting family and friends.

Things to do

Research to find pictures of St Nicholas and Black Pete. Compare to traditional pictures of Santa Claus/Father Christmas.

Write a menu for a special Christmas meal using some Dutch foods.

Learn some Dutch words that have become part of the English language.

Mexico

On each of the nine days before Christmas, many Mexicans take part in a religious procession called a ‘posada’ that re-enacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before Jesus was born. The procession is usually led by children carrying images of Mary and Joseph. The group knock on the doors of houses, where they are at first refused entry but then accepted. After each procession, a feast is held. During the feast, the children are blindfolded and try to break a clay pinata filled with lollies and presents. Traditionally, children also receive Christmas presents on Epiphany (6 January) from the ‘three wise men’ (the Magi), although it is now common for Mexican children to receive gifts on Christmas Day as well.

The traditional Christmas flower in Mexico is the poinsettia. This is because of a legend about a child who gave green branches or weeds as a gift to the baby Jesus during a Christmas service. The bright red poinsettia flowers miraculously bloomed from the poor offering.

France

Many French people decorate their homes with nativity scenes. These scenes contain small clay figures called ‘santons’ (little saints).

On Christmas Eve, French children leave out their shoes for Père Noel (Father Christmas) to fill with presents. Père Noel is accompanied by Père Fouettard, who knows how well-behaved each child has been during the year. In some parts of France, Père Noel also brings presents on St Nicholas Eve (5 December). In other regions, children believe that ‘le petit Jesu’ (baby Jesus) brings their presents.

Things to do

Research and write facts about the life of St Nicholas.

Make modelling clay santons based on pictures of actual ones found on the Internet. These could be placed in student-created nativity dioramas made from shoe boxes.

Russia

The Russian Christmas falls on 7 January, due to the use of the Julian calendar. Most Russians begin fasting in November, eating no animal products except seafood, in preparation for Christmas. The fast ends on 6 January (St Nicholas Day) with a Christmas feast containing 12 courses in honour of the 12 apostles. The meal does not include any meat. Some foods eaten at the Christmas feast include beet soup and ‘kutya’ (a type of porridge). On Christmas Eve, some Russians have their homes blessed by a priest.

Russian children believe that an old woman called Baboushka brings them presents on Christmas Day. Baboushka is a character from a legend that tells of her reluctance to go with the Magi to see Jesus or, in other versions, refusing to offer them shelter. Since that time, she searches eternally for the baby Jesus and delivers presents to good children as she roams.

Things to do

Compare the Julian calendar year and the Gregorian calendar year. Use for mathematics activities.

Read and role-play the story of Baboushka.

Try some traditional Russian foods that don’t contain meat.

China

Chinese Christians celebrate Christmas by lighting their houses with paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees (called ‘trees of light’) with chains, flowers and lanterns made from paper. Children hang stockings for ‘Dun Che Lao Ren’ (Christmas Old Man) to fill on Christmas Eve.

Things to do

Make paper objects to decorate a Christmas tree; e.g. lanterns, chains and flowers.

Denmark

Danish people eat a feast at midnight on Christmas Eve, ending with a special rice pudding dessert called ‘julgrot’. Hidden in the pudding is one whole almond. It brings good luck or a prize for the person who finds it. A bowl of rice pudding is also left out for the ‘Juul nisse’ – mischievous attic-dwelling elves. Many Danish children believe that these elves bring them presents from Santa Claus (‘Julemanden’) on Christmas Eve.

The Danish also celebrate Advent by lighting one candle on a special wreath on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. The candles stand for joy, hope, faith and peace.

On Christmas Eve, Danish parents decorate the family Christmas tree in secret. Children are not allowed to see it until dinnertime, when the tree is lit up. The family then gathers around it to sing carols and hymns.

Things to do

Ask the students to draw what they think the Juul nisse might look like. Compare to artists’ impressions found in books or on the Internet.

Discuss the meaning of Advent and make an Advent calendar.

Write a list of the students’ favourite Christmas carols. Graph the information.

Venezuela

Many homes in Venezuela are decorated with lights and display a nativity scene during the Christmas season. It is also the custom to attend one of nine carol services that are held before Christmas Day. The last of these takes place on Christmas Eve, after which families return home for a special dinner. A traditional Christmas dinner includes ‘hallacas’, dumplings filled with meat, vegetables and spices. Some families also sing and pray for the baby Jesus before presents are exchanged around midnight.

Things to do

Use the Internet to find a hallaca recipe and then make some for a class party.

Write a list of other South American countries and compare the Christmas customs followed in these countries to those of Venezuela.

Greece

Greek people make and eat special Christmas bread called ‘christopsomo’ (Christ bread). These are large sweet loaves made into a range of shapes with decorative crusts. The decorations usually symbolise the family’s profession.

On Christmas Eve, children often travel from door to door singing Christmas carols, sometimes also playing drums and triangles. People give the carol singers small presents or food. The main Christmas presents are not exchanged until 1 January, St Basil’s Day.

In the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany, the ‘kallikantzaroi’ are supposed to appear. These fantasy creatures are variously described in different regions of Greece as resembling goblins, wolves or monkeys. According to legend, the kallikantzaroi get into people’s homes through the chimney where they cause all sorts of mischief, like eating all the Christmas food and making milk go sour. One tradition the Greeks follow to keep the kallikantzaroi out of their houses is to dip a wooden cross covered in basil into a bowl of water and then sprinkle the water around the house. This is done once a day by one member of the family.

Things to do

Make loaves of bread with the class. Each student could create a decoration on the top of a loaf that symbolises his/her family.

Read stories about the kallikantzaroi and then ask the students to write their own.

Ask small groups of students to rehearse and perform a Christmas carol accompanied by percussion instruments.